Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology Commons^™

Development Of Mouse Models For The Study Of Zika Virus Pathogenesis And Antibody Response, Anna Beatriz Kawiecki

LSU Master's Theses

After the emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas in 2015, ZIKV infection was associated for the first time since its discovery with severe symptoms in both adults and congenital cases, including neurological, ocular, and developmental manifestations. Previous ZIKV circulation in Africa and Southeast Asia has been characterized by mild symptoms and small-scale case-counts. It is unclear whether the unprecedented size and severity of the ZIKV outbreak in the Americas are the consequence of a change in the virus, different background flaviviral immunity in the population, or a reporting issue. In addition, ZIKV has been shown to be transmitted …

Evaluation Of Broad Anti-Herpesviral Activity With Α-Hydroxytropolones, Shannon David Dehghanpir

LSU Master's Theses

Herpesviruses are ubiquitous in animals and cause economic losses concomitant with many diseases, including upper respiratory disease, keratitis, abortion, neonatal death, and neurologic disease. The majority of the domestic animal herpesviruses are within the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, along with the prototypical human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). Suppression of HSV-1 replication has been reported with α-hydroxytropolones (αHTs), which are aromatic ring compounds that have broad bioactivity due to potent chelating activity. It is postulated that αHTs inhibit enzymes within the nucleotidyltransferase superfamily (NTS), similarly structured enzymes that require divalent cations for nucleic acid cleavage activity. One potential herpesviral target includes the …

Experimental Infection Of Conventional Nursing Pigs And Their Dams With Porcine Deltacoronavirus, Sarah Vitosh-Sillman, John Dustin Loy, Bruce W. Brodersen, Clayton L. Kelling, Alan R. Doster, Christina L. Topliff, Eric A. Nelson, Jianfa Bai, Erin Schirtzinger, Elizabeth Poulsen, Barbara Meadors, Joseph Anderson, Benjamin Hause, Gary Anderson, Richard Hesse

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) is a newly identified virus that has been detected in swine herds of North America associated with enteric disease. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the pathogenicity, course of infection, virus kinetics, and aerosol transmission of PDCoV using 87 conventional piglets and their 9 dams, including aerosol and contact controls to emulate field conditions. Piglets 2–4 days of age and their dams were administered an oronasal PDCoV inoculum with a quantitative real-time reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR quantification cycle (Cq) value of 22 that was generated from a field sample having 100% nucleotide identity to USA/Illinois121/2014 determined …

Surveillance, Epidemiological, And Virological Detection Of Highly Pathogenic H5n1 Avian Influenza Viruses In Duck And Poultry From Bangladesh, Wahedul Karim Ansari, Md Safiullah Parvej, Mohamed E. El Zowalaty, Sally Jackson, Stephen A. Bustin, Adel K. Ibrahim, Md Tanvir Rahman, Han Zhang, Mohammad Ferdousur Rahman Khan, Md Mostakin Ahamd, Md. Fasiur Rahman, Marzia Rahman, Khm Nazmul H. Nazir, Sultan Ahmed, Md Liakot Hossenn, Md Abdul Kafi, Mat Yamage, Nitish C. Debnath, Graba Ahmed, Hossam Ashour, Md Masoud, Ayman Noreddin, Md B. Rahman

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) continue to pose a global threat. Waterfowl are the main reservoir and are responsible for the spillover of AIVs to other hosts. This study was conducted as part of routine surveillance activities in Bangladesh and it reports on the serological and molecular detection of H5N1 AIV subtype. A total of 2169 cloacal and 2191 oropharyngeal swabs as well as 1725 sera samples were collected from live birds including duck and chicken in different locations in Bangladesh between the years of 2013 and 2014. Samples were tested using virus isolation, serological tests and molecular methods of RT-PCR. …

Membrane Insertion For The Detection Of Lipopolysaccharides: Exploring The Dynamics Of Amphiphile-In-Lipid Assays, Loreen R. Stromberg, Nicolas W. Hengartner, Kirstie L. Swingle, Rodney A. Moxley, Steven W. Graves, Gabriel A. Montaño, Harshini Mukundan

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli is an important cause of foodborne illness, with cases attributable to beef, fresh produce and other sources. Many serotypes of the pathogen cause disease, and differentiating one serotype from another requires specific identification of the O antigen located on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) molecule. The amphiphilic structure of LPS poses a challenge when using classical detection methods, which do not take into account its lipoglycan biochemistry. Typically, detection of LPS requires heat or chemical treatment of samples and relies on bioactivity assays for the conserved lipid A portion of the molecule. Our goal was to develop assays …

Development Of A Novel Self-Propagating Prssv-Vsv G Hybrid Replicon As A Vector For Inducing Broad Prrsv Protection, Asit K. Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Throughout successive cycles of Pork Check-off funding, our laboratories (Pattnaik’s and Osorio’s labs) have consistently produced new and fundamental information on: (i) the immunologic mechanisms that are important for protection against PRRSV infection, (ii) the structural basis for induction of PRRSV-neutralizing antibodies which are significant for conferring protective immunity, (iii) the possibility of producing a rationally-designed new generation DIVA vaccine that would offer more efficacious protection, and (iv) the presence of conserved B- and T-cell epitopes in the structural and nonstructural proteins (NSPs) of PRRSV.

Plants, Prions And Possibilities: Current Understanding And Significance Of Prion Uptake Into Plants, Tracy A. Nichols

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an infectious, neurodegenerative disease of deer (white-tailed and mule), elk, moose, sika deer and muntjac caused by a misfolded version of a normally occurring protein. The notion that CWD could be spread indirectly via the environment has been documented and accepted in the scientific community for quite some time. Deer and elk consume soil, inhale dust and lick objects that have infectious material on them, resulting in chronic, low dose exposure. Surface contamination of plants with urine or feces is likely an additional source of exposure via ingestion and has been modeled in the laboratory …

The Pseudorabies Virus Protein, Pul56, Enhances Virus Dissemination And Virulence But Is Dispensable For Axonal Transport, Gina R. Daniel, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard, Gregory A. Smith

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Neurotropic herpesviruses exit the peripheral nervous system and return to exposed body surfaces following reactivation from latency. The pUS9 protein is a critical viral effector of the anterograde axonal transport that underlies this process. We recently reported that while pUS9 increases the frequency of sorting of newly assembled pseudorabies virus particles to axons from the neural soma during egress, subsequent axonal transport of individual virus particles occurs with wild-type kinetics in the absence of the protein. Here, we examine the role of a related pseudorabies virus protein, pUL56, during neuronal infection. The findings indicate that pUL56 is a virulence factor …

Large Genomic Differences Between Moraxella Bovoculi Isolates Acquired From The Eyes Of Cattle With Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis Versus The Deep Nasopharynx Of Asymptomatic Cattle, Aaron M. Dickey, John D. Loy, James L. Bono, Timonthy P. L. Smith, Mike D. Apley, Brian V. Lubbers, Keith D. Dedonder, Sarah F. Capik, Robert L. Larson, Brad J. White, Jochen Blom, Carol G. Chitko-Mckown, Michael L. Clawson

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Moraxella bovoculi is a recently described bacterium that is associated with infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) or “pinkeye” in cattle. In this study, closed circularized genomes were generated for seven M. bovoculi isolates: three that originated from the eyes of clinical IBK bovine cases and four from the deep nasopharynx of asymptomatic cattle. Isolates that originated from the eyes of IBK cases profoundly differed from those that originated from the nasopharynx of asymptomatic cattle in genome structure, gene content and polymorphism diversity and consequently placed into two distinct phylogenetic groups. These results suggest that there are genetically distinct strains of M. …

Presence Of Pathogenic Escherichia Coli Is Correlated With Bacterial Community Diversity And Composition On Pre-Harvest Cattle Hides, Jessica Chopyk, Ryan M. Moore, Zachary Dispirito, Zachary R. Stromberg, Gentry L. Lewis, David G. Renter, Natalia Cernicchiaro, Rodney A. Moxley, K. Eric Wommack

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Since 1982, specific serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) have been recognized as significant foodborne pathogens acquired from contaminated beef and, more recently, other food products. Cattle are the major reservoir hosts of these organisms, and while there have been advancements in food safety practices and industry standards, STEC still remains prevalent within beef cattle operations with cattle hides implicated as major sources of carcass contamination. To investigate whether the composition of hide-specific microbial communities are associated with STEC prevalence, 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) bacterial community profiles were obtained from hide and fecal samples collected from a large …

Prevalence And Level Of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli In Culled Dairy Cows At Harvest, Zachary R. Stromberg, Gentry L. Lewis, Sharif S. Aly, Terry W. Lehenbauer, Joseph M. Bosilevac, Natalia Cernicchiaro, Rodney A. Moxley

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and level of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 (collectively EHEC-6) plus EHEC O157 in fecal, hide, and preintervention carcass surface samples from culled dairy cows. Matched samples (n=300) were collected from 100 cows at harvest and tested by a culture-based method and two molecular methods: NeoSEEK STEC (NS) and Atlas STEC EG2 Combo. Both the culture and NS methods can be used to discriminate among the seven EHEC types (EHEC-7), from which the cumulative prevalence was inferred, whereas the Atlas method can discriminate …

Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Salivary Cortisol And Cyathostome Infestation In Horses, Danielle L. Keating

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

With an increase in anthelmintic resistance and decreased efficacy of many commercial dewormers, understanding factors that contribute to parasite infestations in horses is integral to their management. The goal of this study was to look at the potential relationship between parasites and stress response by evaluating salivary cortisol levels and cyathostome egg shedding levels. Using a sample size of n = 200 horses from the state of Ohio, fecal and saliva samples were collected from each horse. Fecal egg counts were performed for each horse with a modified Stoll method, and saliva samples were tested with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay …

Differential Gene Expression In Equine Cartilaginous Tissues And Induced Chondrocytes, Emma N. Adam

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis, is a major cause of lameness and morbidity in horses, humans, and dogs. There are no truly satisfactory cures for this widespread problem and current treatments all have limitations or unwanted side effects.

New cell-based strategies to repair joint surface lesions have generated a high level of interest, but have yet to achieve the full restoration of articular cartilage structure and function. Currently used therapy cells include autologous chondrocytes and adult mesenchymal cells such as bone marrow derived cells and adipose derived cells. Unfortunately, the resultant repair tissue is biomechanically inferior fibrocartilage. A critical gap …

Rickettsia Felis, Transmission Mechanisms Of An Emerging Flea-Borne Rickettsiosis, Lisa Diane Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rickettsia felis is an emerging insect-borne rickettsial pathogen and the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever. First described as a human pathogen from the United States in 1991, R. felis is now identified throughout the world and considered a common cause of fever in Africa. The cosmopolitan distribution of this pathogen is credited to the equally widespread occurrence of cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), the primary vector and reservoir of R. felis. Additionally, R. felis has been identified in other hematophagous arthropods (including numerous species of fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and mites). Most transmission cycles of pathogenic Rickettsia include transovarial and transstadial …

The Role Of Nadph Oxidase 2 (Nox2) In High-Fat Diet-Induced Adiposopathy And Brain Dysfunction In A Mouse Model, Jennifer Kathleen Pepping

LSU Master's Theses

Obesity can have numerous detrimental consequences, namely metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. The pathogenesis and physiologic consequences of obesity are unknown, but they are often associated with increased inflammation and oxidative stress in both the body and in the brain. One factor that has been implicated in causing inflammation associated with a high fat diet is the enzyme NADPH oxidase, or NOX, specifically the subunit NOX2. Two studies were performed in order to assess the effects of a high fat diet in combination with a universal NOX2 deficiency and a NOX2 deficiency targeted to …

Identification And Characterization Of A Relish-Type Nf-Kb, Dvrelish In Dermacentor Variabilis, The American Dog Tick, Victoria Irene Verhoeve

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Ticks are important worldwide as vectors of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Pathogenic and non-pathogenic Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are maintained and transmitted by ticks with specific hard tick-Rickettsia pairings evident in nature. The pathogenic SFG Rickettsia rickettsii is transmitted by the hard tick Dermacentor variabilis. In response to infection, D. variabilis is known differentially respond to SFG Rickettsia infection. The mechanisms of differential immune induction are currently unknown, and are likely involved in the establishment of specific tick-SFG Rickettsia pairings. It was hypothesized that the level of response by D. variabilis to SFG Rickettsia occurs in a species-specific manner, …

Characterization Of Rickettsial Infection Dynamics Within Dermacentor Variabilis And Amblyomma Maculatum, Emma Kate Harris

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are primarily associated with their reservoir host and vector, the tick. Rickettsial colonization and maintenance within the arthropod is a key component of vector competence and pathogen transmission to the mammalian host. Contemporary detection of novel tick hosts for rickettsial species, combined with an unprecedented rise in human cases of SFG rickettsiosis, necessitates a deeper understanding of tick/Rickettsia interactions. The hypothesis for this work is that if primary tick/Rickettsia pairings do not exist then rickettsial determinants account for primary vector/pathogen relationships. To this end, Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma maculatum ticks were exposed to R. rickettsii, …

Autoimmunity In Picornavirus Infections, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Andreas Koenig, Jay Reddy, Sally Huber, Iwona Buskiewicz

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Enteroviruses are small, non-enveloped, positive-sense singlestrand RNA viruses, and are ubiquitously found throughout the world. These viruses usually cause asymptomatic or mild febrile illnesses, but have a propensity to induce severe diseases including type 1 diabetes and pancreatitis, paralysis and neuroinflammatory disease, myocarditis, or hepatitis. This pathogenicity may result from induction of autoimmunity to organ-specific antigens. While enterovirus-triggered autoimmunity can arise from multiple mechanisms including antigenic mimicry and release of sequestered antigens, the recent demonstration of T cells expressing dual T cell receptors arising as a natural consequence of Theiler’s virus infection is the first demonstration of this autoimmune mechanism.

Genome-Wide Search For Host Association Factors During Ovine Progressive Pneumonia Virus Infection, Jesse Thompson, Fangrui Ma, Meghan Quinn, Shi-Hua Xiang

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Ovine progressive pneumonia virus (OPPV) is an important virus that causes serious diseases in sheep and goats with a prevalence of 36% in the USA. Although OPPV was discovered more than half of a century ago, little is known about the infection and pathogenesis of this virus. In this report, we used RNA-seq technology to conduct a genome-wide probe for cellular factors that are associated with OPPV infection. A total of approximately 22,000 goat host genes were detected of which 657 were found to have been significantly up-regulated and 889 down-regulated at 12 hours post-infection. In addition to previously known …

Guidelines For The Use And Interpretation Of Assays For Monitoring Autophagy (3rd Edition), Daniel J. Klionsky, Rodrigo Franco, More Than 2,000 Co-Authors

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes.

For example, a key point that needs to be emphasized is that …